What happened
On the evening of 31 May 2000, a Piper Chieftain, registration VH-MZK, was performing a scheduled passenger service operated by Whyalla Airlines. The flight, designated WW904, departed Adelaide at 18:23 CST, heading toward Whyalla, South Australia. Following a brief radar vectoring procedure for traffic separation, the aircraft was cleared to an altitude of 6,000 feet. The flight path included traversing the waters of Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent under night conditions.
At 18:56 CST, the pilot notified Adelaide Flight Information Service (FIS) that the aircraft was beginning its descent from 6,000 feet, positioned approximately 35 nautical miles south-south-east of Whyalla. However, five minutes later, the pilot issued a MAYDAY distress call, reporting that both engines had failed. The pilot stated there were eight people on board and expressed the intention to attempt a landing at Whyalla despite the necessity of ditching the aircraft.
Three minutes after the distress call, the pilot provided a position update, placing the aircraft roughly 15 nautical miles from the Whyalla coastline. After receiving instructions from FIS to use nearby aircraft as a communication relay if contact was lost, the pilot acknowledged the message. This was the final communication received from the flight. Shortly after, an emergency locator transmitter signal was detected briefly by another aircraft's crew.
Search and rescue teams discovered wreckage and two deceased persons in Spencer Gulf the following morning. The aircraft and the remaining five deceased occupants were located on the seabed several days later. One individual remained missing following the accident.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a simultaneous loss of power in both engines during the descent phase.